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82-625: The Walt Disney World Resort (also known as Walt Disney World or Disney World ) is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida , United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences , a division of The Walt Disney Company . The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km), of which half has been developed. Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers,

164-551: A vehicle for hire service for a fee. The Minnie Van Service are Chevy Traverses dressed in a Minnie Mouse red-and-white polka dot design that can accommodate up to six people and have two carseats available to anyone that is within the Walt Disney World Resort limits. Cast members can install the car seats. Some of the unique advantages that the Minnie Van Service offers over a normal ride share

246-604: A 360° cinema, a speakeasy , and an elevated tramway to fit with the 1920s theme instead of horse-drawn trolleys and Victorian vehicles. Eventually the whole idea was scrapped, only Main Street Motors, with the large billboards on top of it, is one of the few remaining elements of it. Due to often cold, rainy weather in the area, the Imagineers created covered walkways on either side of Main Street called "arcades". There

328-566: A 54.1% reduction in annual attendance. This capacity limit causes less annual revenue, and may lower the number of visitors to the Orlando region. The Walt Disney World Resort is serviced by Disney Transport , a complimentary mass transportation system allowing guest access across the property. The fare-free system utilizes buses, monorails, gondola lifts, watercraft, and parking lot trams. The Walt Disney World Monorail System provides free transportation at Walt Disney World; guests can board

410-614: A competition to find a town to become twinned with. In December 2009, after Rebecca Warren won the competition with a poem, they announced the resort will be twinned with the English town of Swindon . George Kalogridis was named president of the resort in December 2012, replacing Meg Crofton , who had overseen the site since 2006. As of October 27, 2014, Walt Disney World is covered by a permanent FAA prohibited airspace zone that restricts all airspace activities without approval from

492-463: A competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property. Designed to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955, the complex was developed by Walt Disney in the 1960s. Walt wanted to build

574-615: A complimentary transportation and luggage service offered to Walt Disney Resort guests that began in 2005, ended in January 2022. In August 2021, the Walt Disney Company announced that FastPass +, which had been free since its introduction in 1999, would be retired and replaced with Genie+, starting at $ 18 to $ 35 per day. This new system includes the option of adding "Lightning Lane", which will be used for top-tier attractions, for an additional charge. The pricing range depends on

656-479: A few miles southwest of Orlando in Osceola County . In addition, two large tracts totaling $ 1.5 million were sold, and smaller tracts of flatlands and cattle pastures were purchased by exotically named companies, such as the "Ayefour Corporation", "Latin-American Development and Management Corporation", and the "Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation". Some are now memorialized on a window above Main Street, U.S.A. in

738-590: A fleet of watercraft, ranging in size from water taxis , up to the ferries that connect the Magic Kingdom to the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disney Transport is also responsible for maintaining the fleet of parking lot trams that are used for shuttling visitors between the various theme park parking lots and their respective main entrances. In addition to its free transportation methods, in conjunction with Lyft , Walt Disney World also offers

820-466: A new park because Disneyland in California was limited from expanding by the establishments that sprung up around it. "The Florida Project", as it was known, was intended to present a distinct vision with its own diverse set of attractions. Walt Disney's original plans also called for the inclusion of an " Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow " (EPCOT), a planned community intended to serve as

902-592: A new shop named Center Street Boutique was opened. On August 21, 2012, a new shop named Victorian Collection was opened, between Emporium and Centennial Hall. Mickey Avenue , the entrance of the Shanghai Disneyland Park , is the park's equivalent to Main Street, USA. The area is inspired by the personalities of Disney cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse , Minnie Mouse , Donald Duck , and Chip 'n' Dale , as well as Disney films including, Ratatouille , The Three Caballeros , and Lady and

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984-470: A popular rumor that Disney was building an "East Coast" version of Disneyland. However, the publication denied its accuracy based on an earlier interview with Disney at Kennedy Space Center. In that interview, he claimed a $ 50 million investment was in the works for Disneyland, and that he had no interest in building a new park. In October 1965, editor Emily Bavar from the Sentinel visited Disneyland during

1066-569: A resort similar to Disneyland, abandoning the planned community concept. Magic Kingdom was the first theme park to open in the complex in 1971, followed by EPCOT (known then as EPCOT Center) in 1982, Disney's Hollywood Studios (known then as the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park) in 1989, and Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998. Roy insisted the name of the entire complex be changed from Disney World to Walt Disney World, to memorialize his brother. In 2018, Walt Disney World

1148-415: A single hotel instead of some managing multiple hotels. On October 18, 2017, it was announced that resort visitors could bring pet dogs to Disney's Yacht Club Resort , Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney's Art of Animation Resort , and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground . In 2019, Josh D'Amaro replaced George Kalogridis as president of the resort. He had previously held

1230-476: A testbed for new city-living innovations. Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, during the initial planning of the complex. After his death, the company wrestled with the idea of whether to bring the Disney World project to fruition; however, Walt's older brother, Roy O. Disney , came out of retirement to ensure Walt's biggest dream was realized. Construction started in 1967, with the company instead building

1312-649: A variety of activities throughout the year, including runDisney marathon races and dance and cheer competitions in partnership with Varsity Cheer. It was also the site for the MLS is Back tournament . On July 11, 2020, Disney World officially reopened, beginning operations at 25% capacity at the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom , as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida . Four days later, EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios for operation at 25% capacity to

1394-433: Is 22.7 sq mi). The company acquired nearly 3,000 additional acres, in separate transactions, between December 2018 and April 2020. 12% of the site area is occupied by hotels and resorts, and 5% of the area is water. Disney's property includes four golf courses open to the general public. The 18-hole golf courses are Disney's Palm (4.5 stars), Disney's Magnolia (4 stars), and Disney's Lake Buena Vista (4 stars). There

1476-449: Is Disney's personal apartment , fully furnished but off-limits to the public. Disney resided there so that he could quickly travel to and from The Walt Disney Company. A lamp is kept burning in the front window as a tribute to his memory, except at Christmas where a small tannenbaum replaces the lamp. It is largely decorated for both Halloween and Christmas . There is a 60-foot-tall (18 m) Christmas tree during Christmas, and there

1558-732: Is a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) Mickey Mouse jack-o-lantern on Halloween, with additional pumpkin ears. In the circular hub in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, the bronze "Partners" statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse is surrounded by smaller bronzes of familiar Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. The Main Street Opera House in Town Square

1640-698: Is also a nine-hole walking course called Disney's Oak Trail , that features junior tees for younger golfers and a Footgolf course. Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail are connected and share one entrance near Shades of Green in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, while the Lake Buena Vista course is located in the Disney Springs Resort Area. Walt Disney World golf courses are staffed by third-party Arnold Palmer Golf Management. The Magnolia and Palm courses played home to

1722-439: Is an almost exact copy of the street in Florida, though Town Square is different. It is influenced by New York city architecture. The original idea was going to be a new approach, completely different from the other versions. Themed to America in the 1920s rather than turn-of-the-century, influenced by the jazz era, cinema, flapper , gangsters, and Art Deco architecture. An era that fascinated Europeans. Attractions would include

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1804-826: Is called Mickey Avenue and is orientated to help introduce visitors to Disney characters. Each Main Street, USA (except in Tokyo and Shanghai) has a train station along the park's respective Disney railroad above the entrance. The area closest to the entrance, usually just past the train station, is called Town Square. At the other end of Main Street stands the park's centrally located castle ( Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California, Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland , Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant at Disneyland Park in Paris , Castle of Magical Dreams at Hong Kong Disneyland , Enchanted Storybook Castle at Shanghai Disneyland). In most of

1886-626: Is in memory of the man who started it all, so people will know his name as long as Walt Disney World is here." After the dedication, Roy Disney asked Walt's widow, Lillian , what she thought of Walt Disney World. According to biographer Bob Thomas, she responded, "I think Walt would have approved." Roy Disney died at age 78 on December 20, 1971, less than three months after the property opened. Admission prices in 1971 were $ 3.50 for adults, $ 2.50 for juniors under age 18, and one dollar for children under twelve. Much of Walt Disney's plans for his Progress City concept were abandoned after his death and after

1968-730: Is not within Orlando city limits but is southwest of Downtown Orlando. Much of the resort is in southwestern Orange County , with the remainder in adjacent Osceola County . The property includes the cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake which are governed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly Reedy Creek Improvement District). The site is accessible from Central Florida's Interstate 4 via Exits 62B (World Drive), 64B ( US 192 West), 65B ( Osceola Parkway West), 67B ( SR 536 West), and 68 ( SR 535 North), Exit 6 on SR 417 South ,

2050-423: Is offered to all Cast eligible at the start of employment. Each staff location on property has an official designated as shop steward , who bargains with Disney leadership when needed to defend the rights designated within the contract. In the first year of opening, the park attracted 10,712,991 visitors. In 2018, the resort's four theme parks all ranked in the top 9 on the list of the 25 most visited theme parks in

2132-479: Is still retained by many newer destination hotels. A mega-resort is a type of destination which is of an exceptionally large size, sometimes featuring large-scale attractions ( casino , golf course , theme park , multiple accommodations ). The hotels along the Las Vegas Strip are most typically thought of as mega-resorts owing to their immense size and complexity. Kirk Kerkorian is credited for building

2214-581: Is the "Discovery Arcade" on the side closest to Discoveryland, and the "Liberty Arcade" on the side closest to Frontierland. These provide access to all of the shops along the length of Main Street, while giving shelter from the weather. They also provide a passageway when the street is crowded during parades and fireworks. Inspired by the main street in Disneyland, the buildings of this Main Street are almost identical to those in Anaheim. Like other main streets, Hong Kong Disneyland's Main Street, USA serves as

2296-617: Is the ability to be dropped off in the Magic Kingdom bus loop (instead of at the TTC like the other ride shares) and being able to ride to any point in Fort Wilderness. Walt Disney World requires an estimated 1 billion kilowatt-hours (3.6 billion megajoules) of electricity annually, costing the company nearly $ 100 million in annual energy consumption. In addition to relying primarily on fossil fuels and nuclear energy from

2378-417: Is the first "themed land" inside the main entrance of the many theme parks operated or licensed by The Walt Disney Company around the world. Main Street, USA is themed to resemble American small towns during the early 20th century. In Tokyo Disneyland , it is called World Bazaar and covered by a glass Victorian-style conservatory roof to shield guests from the weather there. At Shanghai Disneyland , it

2460-455: Is the oldest building in Disneyland. It formerly served as the park's lumber mill between 1955 and 1961. The cannons that are displayed in the center of the square were used by the French army during the 1800s, although they were never fired in battle. The gas lamps that line the street originally came from St. Louis and were bought for $ .03 a pound. Partners , sculpted by Blaine Gibson,

2542-618: The COVID-19 pandemic , beginning March 15, 2020. In 2020, Disney World laid off 6,500 employees and only operated at 25% capacity after reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic . In June 2020, Walt Disney World was chosen to host the NBA Bubble for play of the 2019–20 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to resume at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex . The ESPN Complex, hosts

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2624-635: The Centers for Disease Control as the delta variant drove a significant increase in local cases. These reinstated mandates were lifted in February 2022. In April 2022, following a court decision ending the federal mask mandate for public transportation, the mask mandates on Disney transportation were lifted. Starting on October 1, 2021, the resort honored its 50th anniversary with "The World's Most Magical Celebration", which lasted for 18 consecutive months ending on March 31, 2023. Disney's Magical Express ,

2706-517: The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District , respectively. The entire Disney Transport bus fleet uses R50 renewable diesel fuel , obtained from used cooking oil and non-consumable food waste from the resort. Disney's security personnel are generally dressed in typical security guard uniforms, though some of the personnel are dressed as tourists in plain clothes. Since September 11, 2001 , uniformed security has been stationed outside each Disney park in Florida to search guests' bags as they enter

2788-550: The Magic Kingdom , EPCOT , Wide World of Sports , Animal Kingdom , or Disney Springs . Informally known as the "Disney Bubble", staying on property is considered an immersive experience. Additionally, 12 independently operated hotels are located on property leased from Disney, offering approximately 7,300 additional rooms. There is also an on-site pet hotel operated by Best Friends Pet Care for guests traveling with animals. Walt Disney World has several departments that handle various activities and events that are offered throughout

2870-500: The federal government of the United States , including usage of drones . On January 21, 2016, the resort's management structure was changed, with general managers within a theme park being in charge of an area or land, instead of on a functional basis, as previously configured. Theme parks have already had a vice-president overseeing them. Disney Springs and Disney Sports were also affected. Now hotel general managers manage

2952-559: The "Main Streets", with three table service restaurants (four including Club 33 ). There is also a larger side street called "Center Street" that runs across Main Street which exits on either side into Tomorrowland and Adventureland. This was the first "Main Street" that did not have a train station (the other "Main Street" being in Shanghai Disneyland. ) World Bazaar is also home to Tokyo Disneyland's Club 33 . This street

3034-678: The 1800s, the traditional concept full-service conference and resort hotels have been based upon a venue which is typically remote and has a natural feature as its attraction. For example, the Kviknes Hotel in Norway is a difficult to reach remote location which provides visitors access to the scenic fjord at Balestrand or The Brando Resort on Tetiaroa which is only accessible by a private plane from Tahiti . Historically there were certain built-in amenities such as gourmet cuisine , music recitals , and shoreline trails ; however,

3116-643: The Central Florida GreeneWay and Exit 8 on SR 429 , the Western Beltway. At its founding, the resort occupied approximately 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km). Portions of the property have since been sold or de-annexed, including land now occupied by the Disney-built community of Celebration . By 2014, the resort occupied nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km) (larger than Manhattan, New York City, which

3198-529: The Magic Kingdom. The smaller parcels of land acquired were called "outs". They were five-acre (2 ha) lots platted in 1912 by the Munger Land Company and sold to investors. Most of the owners in the 1960s were happy to get rid of the land, which was mostly swamp at the time. Another issue was the mineral rights to the land, which were owned by Tufts University . Without the transfer of these rights, Tufts could come in at any time and demand

3280-549: The Main Street, USA concept came from the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village , which Walt Disney visited twice in the 1940s. Disney said, "For those of us who remember the carefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of their grandfather's youth." Above the firehouse in Town Square at Disneyland

3362-918: The PGA Tour's Walt Disney World Golf Classic from 1971 to 2012. Additionally there is a fifth course, the Tranquilo Golf Course , located at the Four Seasons Resort on Disney property. The course is open only to guests staying at Four Seasons. As of 2024, there are 19 Disney owned and operated resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) villas at the Walt Disney World Resort, along with one camping resort, Fort Wilderness, which includes traditional campgrounds and wood cabins. Together, they have approximately 23,000 rooms, 3,600 DVC villas and 500,000 square feet (46,000 m) of conference meeting space. They are organized into three categories—Deluxe, Moderate, and Value—and five resort areas:

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3444-485: The Walt Disney Company has used to run the area since May 1967, when then Florida Governor Claude Kirk signed into law legislation which granted the company special status. The law went into effect in June 2023. Along with this, as of May 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis has also been planning to target Disney's monorail system and let Florida's Department of Transportation inspect the privately owned system. The Florida resort

3526-458: The amenities of modern (post-1980) destination hotels dwarf the scale of these earlier models. Many of the Las Vegas and Caribbean resort hotels have complete shopping malls , conference centers and large entertainment halls on site; thus, the contemporary version of a destination often features large on-site capital investment in activities, although the access to a local natural feature

3608-471: The buildings along Main Street are shorter than the first stories, and are offices for Walt Disney World management. The World Bazaar is the alternative of Main Street, USA. It is covered by a glass Victorian-style conservatory roof to shield guests from the Japanese weather. Amongst others, World Bazaar features a 1920s American Art Deco styled restaurant. World Bazaar features the most eateries out of

3690-449: The bus stops. Guests arriving via Magic Kingdom Resort boat launch are bag checked on the arrival dock outside Magic Kingdom. Destination resort These hotels as destinations may be characterized by distinctive architecture, upscale lodgings, ballrooms, large conference facilities, restaurants, and recreation activities such as golf or skiing. They may be located in a variety of settings from major cities to remote locations. Since

3772-513: The company board decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city. The concept evolved into the resort's second theme park, EPCOT Center , which opened in 1982 (renamed EPCOT in 1996). While still emulating Walt Disney's original idea of showcasing new technology, the park is closer to a world's fair than a "community of tomorrow". One of EPCOT's main attractions is the World Showcase, which highlights 11 countries across

3854-411: The crowd and day of purchase. On April 22, 2022, the self-governing status which the Walt Disney Company had in the area around Disney World for more than 50 years came to an end after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation requiring the area to come under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida. The new law also officially abolished The Reedy Creek Improvement District which

3936-519: The development of the Walt Disney World Resort. It features stylistic influences from around the country. Taking its inspiration from New England to Missouri , this design is most noticeable in the four corners in the middle of Main Street, where each of the four corner buildings represents a different architectural style. There is no opera house as there is at Disneyland; instead, there is the Town Square Theatre. The second stories of all

4018-514: The entrance of the park. Plans originally featured a restaurant under the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad station, but were scrapped due to budget reasons. Unlike Main Streets from other parks, Main Street at Hong Kong Disneyland is built mainly of concrete and fiberglass instead of wood . This was done so to protect the buildings better from the inclement weather. The decor is 20th-century small-town America from about

4100-521: The film Lady and the Tramp ) , Main Street, USA is designed to resemble the center of an idealized turn-of-the-20th-century ( c.  1910 ) American town. According to Harper Goff , who worked on Main Street, USA with Disney, he showed Disney some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado . Disney liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, USA. Another significant source of inspiration for

4182-673: The first mega-resort in 1969 earning him the nickname "father of the mega-resort". Two projects in Las Vegas in 1969 and 1973 by architect Martin Stern, Jr. and entrepreneur Kirk Kerkorian , the International Hotel and the MGM Grand, set the standard for such casino resorts. The Mirage gave its size and emphasis on non-gaming entertainment options like shopping and fine dining to draw in customers. Mega-resorts use

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4264-434: The globe. Some of the urban planning concepts from the original idea of EPCOT would instead be integrated into the community of Celebration, Florida , much later. The resort's third theme park, Disney-MGM Studios (renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008), opened in 1989 and is inspired by show business. In the early 1990s, the resort was seeking permits for expansion. There was considerable environmentalist push-back, and

4346-812: The monorail and travel between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, including select on-property resorts such as the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Village . The system operates on three routes that interconnect at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), adjacent to the Magic Kingdom's parking lot. Disney Transport owns a fleet of Disney-operated buses on the property, that is also complimentary for guests. A gondola lift system, dubbed Disney Skyliner , opened in 2019. The system's three lines connect Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT with four resort hotels. Disney Transport also operates

4428-436: The new theme park "the greatest attraction in the history of Florida". The official reveal was kept on the previously planned November 15 date, and Disney joined Burns in Orlando for the event. Walt Disney died from circulatory collapse caused by smoking-related lung cancer on December 15, 1966, before his vision was realized. His brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney , postponed his retirement to oversee construction of

4510-461: The park's " opening credits ", where guests pass under the train station (the opening curtain) at left or right, then view the names of key personnel along the windows of the buildings' upper floors. Many windows bear the name of a fictional business, such as "Seven Summits Expeditions, Frank G. Wells President", with each representing a tribute to significant people connected to the Disney company and

4592-484: The park's 10th-anniversary celebration. In an interview with Disney, she asked him if he was behind recent land purchases in Central Florida. Bavar later described that Disney "looked like I had thrown a bucket of water in his face", before denying the story. His reaction, combined with other research obtained during her Anaheim visit, led Bavar to author a story on October 21, 1965, where she predicted that Disney

4674-586: The parks, the area in front of the castle is known as The Hub or Central Plaza, while Shanghai Disneyland has the Gardens of Imagination in place of a hub/central plaza. At the Hub/Central Plaza, one will find the entrances to most of the other lands at the parks. Town Square is home to City Hall, in which the Guest Relations office is located. Further along Main Street, the names painted in

4756-478: The parks. Starting April 3, 2017, bag checkpoints have been placed at Magic Kingdom's resort monorail entryways and the Transportation and Ticket Center's ferry entry points prior to embarkation as well as the walkway from Disney's Contemporary Resort. Guests arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center by tram or tour bus will be screened at the former tram boarding areas. Guests arriving by Disney Resort hotel bus or Minnie Van have their own bag check just outside

4838-539: The position of vice president of Animal Kingdom. D'Amaro was subsequently promoted to chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products in May 2020, succeeding Bob Chapek , who was promoted to CEO of The Walt Disney Company in February 2020. Jeff Vahle, who served as president of Disney Signature Experiences subsequently took over as president of the resort. On March 12, 2020, a Disney spokesperson announced that Disney World and Disneyland Paris would temporarily close due to

4920-416: The public. Masks were required at all times (including outdoors, on attractions, and while taking photos), all guests were required to have their temperature taken upon entry, plexiglass was installed on various attractions and transportation offerings, and shows that drew large crowds, such as parades and nighttime shows including Fantasmic! and Happily Ever After were not offered. In November 2020,

5002-598: The removal of buildings to obtain minerals. Eventually, Disney's team negotiated a deal with Tufts to buy the mineral rights for $ 15,000. Working strictly in secrecy, real estate agents unaware of their client's identity began making offers to landowners in April 1964, in parts of southwest Orange and northwest Osceola counties. The agents were careful not to reveal the extent of their intentions. They were able to negotiate numerous land contracts with some landowners, including large tracts of land for as little as $ 100 an acre. With

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5084-472: The resort increased the guest capacity to 35% at all four theme parks, and on May 13, 2021, CEO Bob Chapek announced a further increase of capacity, effective immediately; however, he did not say to what capacity level it would be raised. By mid-June 2021, temperature checks and mask mandates (except while on Disney transportation) had been lifted. In late July 2021, mask mandates were reinstated for all attractions and indoor areas in light of new guidance issued by

5166-613: The resort was convinced to engage in mitigation banking . In an agreement with The Nature Conservancy and the state of Florida, Disney purchased 8,500 acres (3,400 ha) of land, adjacent to the park for the purpose of rehabilitating wetland ecosystems. The Disney Wilderness Preserve was established in April 1993, and the land was subsequently transferred to The Nature Conservancy. The Walt Disney Company provided additional funds for landscape restoration and wildlife monitoring. The resort's fourth theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom , opened in 1998. In October 2009, Disney World announced

5248-666: The resort's first phase. On February 2, 1967, Roy O. Disney held a press conference at the Park Theatres in Winter Park, Florida. The role of EPCOT was emphasized in the film that was played. After the film, it was explained that for Disney World, including EPCOT, to succeed, a special district would have to be formed: the Reedy Creek Improvement District with two cities inside it, Bay Lake and Reedy Creek, now Lake Buena Vista . In addition to

5330-700: The same fantastic or mythical theme (medieval life at Excalibur , tropical at The Mirage, famous cities, etc.) throughout their properties. Many mega-resorts have a large theme park as its centerpiece . Resorts such as the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts feature multiple hotels, multiple theme parks, a shopping complex , and other features. Other mega-resorts exist with no specific centerpiece, having many features that are considered prominent, such as Atlantis Paradise Island and its upcoming sister park in Dubai . Main Street, U.S.A. Main Street, USA

5412-545: The site employed about 5,500 "Cast Members". In 2020, Walt Disney World employed more than 77,000 Cast Members. Walt Disney World has more than 3,000 job classifications with a total 2019 payroll of over $ 3 billion. Almost all hourly guest-facing Cast Members work under union contracts . The most recent contract was negotiated and put in effect in 2023 and is valid through 2027, setting the starting hourly rate for part-time and full-time Cast at 17 dollars per hour, with additional premiums available for select roles. Union membership

5494-492: The standard powers of an incorporated city, which include issuance of tax-free bonds, the district would have immunity from any current or future county or state land-use laws. The only areas where the district had to submit to the county and state would be property taxes and elevator inspections. The legislation forming the district and the two cities, one of which was the Reedy Creek Improvement Act ,

5576-434: The state's power grid, Walt Disney World has two solar energy facilities on property; a 22-acre (0.034 sq mi; 0.089 km) Mickey Mouse -shaped solar panel farm near EPCOT, and a 270-acre (0.42 sq mi; 1.1 km) facility near Disney's Animal Kingdom. The larger facility produces enough solar energy to provide electricity to two of the resort's theme parks. The sites are operated by Duke Energy and

5658-555: The time revealed that only 5% of Disneyland's visitors came from east of the Mississippi River , where 75% of the population of the United States lived. Additionally, Walt Disney disliked the businesses that had sprung up around Disneyland and wanted more control over a larger area of land in the next project. Walt Disney took a flight over a potential site in Orlando, Florida —one of many—in November 1963. After witnessing

5740-587: The understanding that the recording of the first deeds would trigger intense public scrutiny, Disney delayed the filing of paperwork until a large portion of the land was under contract. Early rumors and speculation about the land purchases assumed possible development by NASA in support of the nearby Kennedy Space Center , as well as references to other famous investors, such as Ford , the Rockefellers , and Howard Hughes . An Orlando Sentinel news article published weeks later, on May 20, 1965, acknowledged

5822-567: The well-developed network of roads and taking the planned construction of both Interstate 4 and Florida's Turnpike into account, with McCoy Air Force Base (later Orlando International Airport ) to the east, Disney selected a centrally located site near Bay Lake . The development was referred to in-house as "The Florida Project". To avoid a burst of land speculation, Walt Disney Productions used various dummy corporations to acquire 27,443 acres (43 sq mi; 111 km) of land. In May 1965, some of these major land transactions were recorded

5904-437: The windows on Main Street serve as credits for some of the many people, Imagineers and others, who contributed in some way to the creation of Disneyland. Largely they appear as fictional businesses (gyms, realtors, dentists), and they often refer to a hobby or interest of the person honored. Ub Iwerks 's window, for example, refers to his prowess with cameras. Inspired by Walt Disney 's hometown of Marceline, Missouri (as in

5986-463: The world: (1st) Magic Kingdom—20,859,000 visitors; (6th) Disney's Animal Kingdom—13,750,000 visitors; (7th) EPCOT—12,444,000 visitors; and (9th) Disney's Hollywood Studios—11,258,000 visitors. By October 2020, maximum Disney World attendance was still allowed to only remain at 25% capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study found that reducing Magic Kingdom park capacity to 25% would result in

6068-465: The year. These departments include: The campus of Walt Disney World includes numerous buildings and spaces used solely for corporate management, castmember only services, and castmember recreation. The Walt Disney Company also owns and operates a corporate office complex in Celebration, Florida, home to Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney offices. When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971,

6150-465: The years 1890–1910. Though being very similar to Anaheim's main street, the story of this street is heavily influenced by European immigrants . Plaza Inn has the same exterior design as the one in Anaheim but its theme is about a wealthy American couple who traveled to Hong Kong, fell in love with its culture and cuisine, and returned to create a classical English eatery filled with all the decorations they collected on their journeys. The Market House Bakery

6232-557: The years. The streets are paved with resilient asphalt , a type of asphalt containing rubber, to prevent aching of feet. In July 2015, Disneyland expanded their Main Street USA with a Main Street Arcade in honor of their 60th anniversary. Main Street, USA at Magic Kingdom Park is themed as an early-20th century American town, inspired by Walt Disney's childhood home of Marceline, Missouri . Symbolically, Main Street represents

6314-550: Was added in 1993. During the Halloween season, pumpkin busts for each themed land in the park, except Main Street, are seen around "Partners." It is listed as a real street in the Orange County Thomas Guide . For Disneyland's 50th anniversary, on July 17, 2005, a first-story window on each Main Street was unveiled with a dedication to all the cast members (employees) who had worked for Disney throughout

6396-443: Was building a second theme park in Florida. Three days later, after gathering more information from various sources, the Sentinel published another article headlined, "We Say: 'Mystery' Industry Is Disney". Walt Disney had originally planned to publicly reveal Disney World on November 15, 1965, but in light of the Sentinel story, Disney asked Florida Governor Haydon Burns to confirm the story on October 25. His announcement called

6478-631: Was completed in time for the park's opening on October 1, 1971, and the Polynesian Village Resort opened shortly after. The Palm and Magnolia golf courses near the Magic Kingdom had opened a few weeks before, while Fort Wilderness opened one month later. Twenty-four days after the park opened, Roy O. Disney dedicated the property and declared that it would be known as "Walt Disney World", in his brother's honor. In his own words: "Everyone has heard of Ford cars. But have they all heard of Henry Ford , who started it all? Walt Disney World

6560-508: Was founded by a Viennese pastry chef who brought some of the world's most famous desserts and coffee cakes from the Austrian imperial court. There are no horse-drawn streetcars on this street, although tracks for the streetcars can be seen from early conceptual arts. In early August 2008, The Disneyland Story presenting How Mickey Mouse Came to Hong Kong was closed. It was re-themed to Art of Animation on August 31. On January 21, 2011,

6642-431: Was signed into law by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967. The Supreme Court of Florida then ruled in 1968 that the district was allowed to issue tax-exempt bonds for public projects within the district, despite the sole beneficiary being Walt Disney Productions. The district soon began construction of drainage canals, and Disney built the first roads and the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary Resort Hotel

6724-483: Was the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of more than 58 million. The resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States, the flagship destination of Disney's worldwide corporate enterprise and has become a staple of American popular culture . In 1959, Walt Disney Productions began looking for land to house a second resort to supplement Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which had opened in 1955. Market surveys at

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